If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 10am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: www.samhsa.gov/wellness-initiative/eight-dimensions-wellness
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LINK TO QUIZ: www.curestigma.org/quiz

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. In fact, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.

Each year, more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide, leaving behind their friends and family members to navigate the tragedy of loss. In many cases, friends and families affected by a suicide loss (often called “suicide loss survivors”) are left in the dark. Too often the feelings of shame and stigma prevent them from talking openly.
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September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month—a time to share resources and stories in an effort to shed light on this highly taboo and stigmatized topic. We use this month to reach out to those affected by suicide, raise awareness and connect individuals with suicidal ideation to treatment services. It is also important to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention. NAMI is here to help.
Informational Resources

• Know the Warning Signs and Risk of Suicide
• Preventing Suicide as a Family Member or Caregiver
• Being Prepared for a Crisis
• Need more information, referrals or support? Contact the NAMI HelpLine.

Crisis Resources

• If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 911 immediately.
• If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255)
• If you’re uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can also text NAMI to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.

Awareness ResourcesHelp promote awareness by sharing images and graphics on your website and social media accounts. Use #SuicidePrevention or #StigmaFree.
While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to come together with collective passion and strength around a difficult topic. The truth is, we can all benefit from honest conversations about mental health conditions and suicide, because just one conversation can change a life.



If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 10am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Suicide-Prevention-Awareness-Month
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Staying vital and connected can help you ward off the depression that often comes with aging. Here are simple things you can do, even from your own home.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically Reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MP

Caring for a pet can help seniors stay more socially engaged and can make them feel less depressed and agitated.
A challenged brain is a happy brain. So when the kids are grown and you’ve retired from your job, you could find yourself struggling a bit to stay busy and engaged, and you might feel depressed.
You wouldn’t be alone. The National Alliance on Mental Illness says that more than 6.5 million American seniorssuffer from depression. Seniors living independently have the lowest risk for depression, with the condition affecting about 1 to 5 percent of this group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But at the other end of the spectrum, about 13.5 percent of those who require in-home help, and about 11.5 percent of seniors who are hospitalized, experience depression.
Despite these numbers, depression in seniors is frequently overlooked, according to Jaza Marina Brown, MD, a geriatrician with Kaiser Permanente in Atlanta. And that’s often because the symptoms may look like they stem from a different disease. For instance, weight loss and poor appetite may seem like a gastrointestinal problem, and problems with daily functioning could seem like a case of arthritis, Dr. Brown says.
Struggles with physical health can lead to problems with mental health for seniors, says Mustafa M. Husain, MD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the geriatric psychiatry division at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Physical illnesses may contribute to depression, or vice versa.
Staying physically healthy, socially active, and mentally engaged as you age are keys to boosting senior mental health, experts agree. For instance:
1. Just Keep Moving
Exercise is essential for both the body and mind, Brown says. Go for a daily walk or join a senior exercise class at a nearby Y, gym, or senior center. If you have physical limitations, try chair exercises. If you’re physically able, try a dance class. A study published in August 2014 in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association found that just one 60-minute dance class a week led to significant improvements in depression symptoms.
2. Socialize at Your Senior Center
­­­­­­“Senior centers offer a variety of classes — from crafts and hobbies to computer classes — to keep the mind interested and active,” Brown says. Some also offer transportation to those who need it.
3. Stay Involved in Family Gatherings
Find ways to be included and visit often with family, especially grandchildren. Keep visits short if you get tired, Dr. Husain says, and make sure you’re just there to enjoy their company rather than be a babysitter.
4. Call on Friends
Stay connected with your peers. Get your hair done together, go on a shopping trip even if it’s just to the grocery store, or have them over for dinner. The social stimulation will do you all good, Brown says.
5. Turn to Technology to Stay in Touch
Schedule regular phone calls to catch up with loved ones, and send snail mail or email letters, cards, and photos. Try Skype or FaceTime for a video call. Create a memory book with your grandchildren and share it with the entire family.
6. Go Back to School
Challenge your brain by taking a class at your local community college; many are free or offered at a very low cost, Brown says. Try a literature class or study another language, and look for online classes if you can’t leave home.
7. Get a Pet
Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, caring for a pet can be helpful, Husain says. Animals make seniors more socially engaged, less depressed, and less agitated, according to a review of research on animal therapy published in November 2014 in Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research.
8. Play Games
Try word puzzles, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and games like Sudoku to keep your brain healthy and stimulated. Join — or start — a bridge club with your friends, Husain suggests. A good card game is always a good opportunity for conversation.
9. Make a Deeper Spiritual Connection
Religion and the community that goes with it can offer meaningful activities and support, and your place of worship can also be a great venue for volunteering, Brown says.
10. Make a Difference
Volunteering comes in all shapes and sizes. Pitch in locally or search online for ways to volunteer from the comfort of your own home. For instance, the United Nations Volunteers program has opportunities across the world. Giving back can be one of the best ways to add meaning to your life. Husain knew a 98-year-old who still volunteered at a popcorn stand at a children’s hospital. “The pleasure he got out of it was much more than any medication I could have given him,” he says.
Last Updated:8/12/2016

If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 10am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: ​www.everydayhealth.com/news/easy-ways-seniors-can-boost-mental-health-well-being/

We all likely know someone who has experienced poor mental health or mental illness at some point in their lives. Yet there are still many harmful attitudes and misunderstandings around mental health and mental illness, which make people ignore mental health, fuel stigma about mental illness, and make it harder to reach out for help. Take the following quiz and see if you can you separate the myths from the facts.

If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 10am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: ​www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/quiz/index.htm